How to Secure Glowing Recommendation Letters (Part 1)

August 26, 2024 | By Daniel Strom

First off, how much do recommendation letters weigh into the admissions process? Well, it depends. Below, I’ll break it down into three categories:

  1. Schools that Do Not Accept Recommendation Letters for Undergraduate Applicants
    Some schools, such as all UC campuses, do not accept letters of recommendation for undergraduate applicants. Sending an unsolicited letter of recommendation will not help an applicant’s chances of admission. In fact, it is more likely to damage one’s shot, as this would indicate that they do not follow directions.

  2. Schools that Accept but Do Not Require Recommendation Letters
    In other words, these recommendation letters are optional. However, I always tell students that most “optional” application materials should be treated as though they are required, especially for highly rejective colleges.

  3. Schools that Require Recommendation Letters
    These schools use recommendation letters to gain insight into your academic abilities, talent, and personal qualities that aren't captured by grades and test scores. You can see how much weight admissions officers give recommendation letters by looking at individual colleges’ Common Data Sets.

Choosing the Right Recommender:

If you’re applying to schools that accept or require recommendation letters, choosing the right recommender and guiding them appropriately is crucial. Here’s how to ensure your letters stand out:

  1. The Recommender Should Be from an Academic Subject
    The only exception to this rule is if a student is applying to specialized programs like music, theatre, or visual art. Most universities are looking for letters from one of the core academic subjects (English, history, math, foreign language, and science).

  2. The Recommender Should Be a Teacher from 10th or 11th Grade
    Too much time has passed since grade 9, and grade 12 teachers haven’t gotten to know students enough before applications are due.

  3. Don’t Assume a Strong Recommendation Just Because You Earned an “A” in the Class
    In addition to writing a recommendation letter, each recommender is required to rate a student based on 16 different parameters. Think carefully about each criterion and consider what your teacher’s impression would be of you for each category. Below are the parameters for each recommender to fill out in the 2024 Common App.   

Common App Teacher Evaluation Criteria

4. Consider How Well the Teacher Knows You
Look again at the evaluation criteria above. Is your teacher able to speak to most of these categories? Not always. This is why it is always wise to also join a club that one of your core teachers supervises, as it allows them to see another side of you that they can speak to in their recommendations.  

Ready to Ask for a Recommendation?

With your chosen recommenders in mind, it’s time to make the formal request, found in Part 2 of this blog.

About Daniel Strom

Daniel Strom co-founded Elite Scholar Advising, which provides tailored advice to college applicants worldwide. He is a proud graduate of Northwestern University and the Kellogg School of Management, where he also developed admissions experience through his role as an admissions representative. In addition, he also served on the Northwestern Alumni Admissions Interviewing Council. Daniel has helped hundreds of college applicants across the world realize their full potential by gaining admission to their dream schools.